The redesigned 2016 Toyota Prius 4 features a sleeker front end. Would you recognize this as a Prius from this angle?

The redesigned 2016 Toyota Prius 4 features a sleeker front end. Would you recognize this as a Prius from this angle?

Photo: Dwight Silverman / Houston Chronicle

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This looks more like a Prius, but the lines are a lot more interesting than the previous versions.

This looks more like a Prius, but the lines are a lot more interesting than the previous versions.

Photo: Dwight Silverman / Houston Chronicle

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This is where things get really interesting. What did Toyota do to those tail lights?

This is where things get really interesting. What did Toyota do to those tail lights?

Photo: Dwight Silverman / Houston Chronicle

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This is probably the most controversial aspect of the Prius' redesign. People either love or hate its new butt.

This is probably the most controversial aspect of the Prius' redesign. People either love or hate its new butt.

Photo: Dwight Silverman / Houston Chronicle

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After a while, I started to like the new taillights. Snazzy!

After a while, I started to like the new taillights. Snazzy!

Photo: Dwight Silverman / Houston Chronicle

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Say my name.

Say my name.

Photo: David Dewhurst / Toyota

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My best mileage score, a short trip from Midtown to my home in Montrose. The electric engine was mostly used here - it seems to have more staying power than in older Prius models.

My best mileage score, a short trip from Midtown to my home in Montrose. The electric engine was mostly used here - it seems to have more staying power than in older Prius models.

Photo: Dwight Silverman / Houston Chronicle

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This was the mileage on a trip to Galveston on a Saturday night. Traffic was moderately heavy on I-45, and there was headwind. This is similar to the highway mileage we get in my wife's 2012 Prius.

This was the mileage on a trip to Galveston on a Saturday night. Traffic was moderately heavy on I-45, and there was headwind. This is similar to the highway mileage we get in my wife's 2012 Prius.

Photo: Dwight Silverman / Houston Chronicle

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This was the mileage on the way back from Galveston. Less traffic, no wind, speed fairly constant.

This was the mileage on the way back from Galveston. Less traffic, no wind, speed fairly constant.

Photo: Dwight Silverman / Houston Chronicle

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The dashboard is bristling with data. Try not to be distracted by all this stuff. After a while, glancing at it becomes second nature.

The dashboard is bristling with data. Try not to be distracted by all this stuff. After a while, glancing at it becomes second nature.

Photo: Dwight Silverman / Houston Chronicle

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If you were hoping the redesigned Prius would move the dash indicators behind the steering wheel ... well, sorry! That shift indicator is in a strange place, though, perpendicular to the floor.

If you were hoping the redesigned Prius would move the dash indicators behind the steering wheel ... well, sorry! That shift indicator is in a strange place, though, perpendicular to the floor.

Photo: Dwight Silverman / Houston Chronicle

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The interior of the 2016 Prius 4 is a lot more refined than in previous models.

The interior of the 2016 Prius 4 is a lot more refined than in previous models.

Photo: Dwight Silverman / Houston Chronicle

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The rear seat has slightly less room, but it's still pretty comfortable.

The rear seat has slightly less room, but it's still pretty comfortable.

Photo: Dwight Silverman / Houston Chronicle

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My Prius came with the upgraded JBL sound system. Sweet!

My Prius came with the upgraded JBL sound system. Sweet!

Photo: David Dewhurst Photography / Toyota

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The 2016 Prius will give you average mileage per day in an MPG diary.

The 2016 Prius will give you average mileage per day in an MPG diary.

Photo: Dwight Silverman / Houston Chronicle

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Or, you can get your mileage by the month.

Or, you can get your mileage by the month.

Photo: Dwight Silverman / Houston Chronicle

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The air conditioner runs in either normal mode or less-cold Eco mode. Guess which one you'll use most in Houston summers?

The air conditioner runs in either normal mode or less-cold Eco mode. Guess which one you'll use most in Houston summers?

Photo: Dwight Silverman / Houston Chronicle

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That shifter, sticking straight out from the bottom of the dash, is really hard to get used to. It's the same layout as in earlier models, but this new location makes it awkward to use.

That shifter, sticking straight out from the bottom of the dash, is really hard to get used to. It's the same layout as in earlier models, but this new location makes it awkward to use.

Photo: David Dewhurst Photography / Toyota

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The wireless charging is cool and useful, presuming your type of phone works with the Qi standard. Oh, and that white plastic? I've seen plastic like that yellow over time. How will it look in five years?

The wireless charging is cool and useful, presuming your type of phone works with the Qi standard. Oh, and that white plastic? I've seen plastic like that yellow over time. How will it look in five years?

Photo: Dwight Silverman / Houston Chronicle

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The heated seat switches are, strangely, behind the lower part of the dash and above the start of the console tray. Good lucky feeling around for those in the dark.

The heated seat switches are, strangely, behind the lower part of the dash and above the start of the console tray. Good lucky feeling around for those in the dark.

Photo: Dwight Silverman / Houston Chronicle

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Review: 2016 Toyota Prius Four

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Among a certain crowd, Toyota’s Prius hybrid doesn’t get much respect. Drivers of pickups, cars with impressive 0-60 specs and vehicles that look like they’re racing even when standing still have permasneers for the Prius, which from its inception could brag about one thing, and one thing only: gas mileage.

Prius owners, of course, could care less what other drivers think. They’re laughing all the way to the bank, their destination as they cruise past the fuel pump. If 50 miles per gallon is more important to you than hitting 60 mph in 7 seconds, there are few mainstream vehicles that touch it.

I know, because I’m a Prius owner. Well, really, my wife is – it’s her car, but I love driving it when I can. To me, seeing what kind of mileage I can eke out of it on each trip to the mall, the store, the theater or on vacation is half the fun. It’s a 2012 Prius 3, and she fills its gas tank maybe once every five weeks. The current low price of gasoline makes it all the sweeter.

But the Prius line remains the butt of jokes among auto enthusiasts. It has a reputation for being poky, boring – both to drive and to look at – and for being behind the curve in terms of design. But the new, redesigned 2016 Prius will change some of that. Toyota is even bravely touting it as “fun to drive,” and while that certainly depends on how low your fun bar is, it’s a lot more interesting than previous models. So much so that, when I finally turned mine loose after a week spent reviewing it, I wanted to run out and buy one.

The model Toyota loaned me was the 2016 Prius 4, which is almost the top of the line. (The Prius Four Touring is the final step up.) It’s tricked out with all kinds of technology, particularly when it comes to safety features. Much of its technology is in service to efficient driving, and if you pay attention to the numbers – and do so while keeping your eyes on the road, of course – you can achieve some remarkable results.

How remarkable? On a 52-mile drive back from Galveston to my home in central Houston, I had an excellent 65 MPG, which is astounding for a vehicle that’s supposed to do better in the city than in highway driving. On one short, 2-mile inner-city trip, I got 110 MPG. Overall, while I had the car, I averaged about 57 MPG in combined city and highway driving, better than its 54 city / 50 highway EPA rating.

Here’s a look at the 2016 Prius, broken down by category.

Design

The reviewer for the “New York Daily News” describes past Prius models as looking like “a potato on wheels.” That would be an accurate description only if he’d said a “wedged potato.” The Prius is known for looking like a fat doorstop, and Toyota gets some praise for keeping the overall shape – which is highly aerodynamic – while making it sleeker and more modern.

Not that everyone is going to love the new Prius. When I posted photos of my new toy to my Twitter and Facebook accounts and asked what folks wanted to know about it, more than one person responded, “Why is it so ugly?”

Sorry, but I’ll have to disagree. The car’s exterior facelift gives it a much sportier look, particularly in the front where the grill has more aggressive lines. Along the sides toward the rear are ridges that reinforce the sporty contours. The “Hypersonic Red” color on the model I drove makes it look even more exciting.

The rear end, though, is what’s driving most folks nuts. The back looks like someone pinched the taillights in. In a way, it reminds me of the fin styling found on some bulgemobiles of the ‘50s and ‘60s. This look is highlighted by LED tube lighting that – dare I say it? – looks darned near garish on a Prius. It took me a while to get used to the Prius’ new lines, but in the end I liked them. One thing you can’t say about the 2016 Prius is that it looks boring.

Interior

My wife’s 2012 Prius is all hard plastics on the dashboard and soft, but uninspiring, cloth on the seats. It’s the very definition of a utilitarian look, particularly with the console that curves around the driver and spotlights the infamously unusual shifter. Toyota has reworked the interior completely, and the Prius Four’s cabin is a blend of the traditional and unexpected.

As with previous models, the action is offset to the center of the dash. At the top of the dashboard is a long, narrow display featuring the speedometer, detailed mileage and performance information, clock and status indicators. The mileage and performance area can be customized to show current information or historical data. For example, it can show details about your current trip, or what kind of average mileage you got each month you owned the car.

Below this is the center console with a 4.2-inch, multi-touch display – more about this in the Technology section of this review – along with AC vents and controls and the CD slot. It’s mounted in a piano-black presentation that looks cathedral-like. This is the same material found in some of Toyota’s other vehicles – like the 2014 Corolla LE Plus I drive – and it’s shiny enough that it’s sometime glaring when the sun hits it. Gone are the physical buttons around the screen, replaced by touchpad buttons.

At the bottom of the dash is a white expanse of plastic that stretches decoratively from end to end. The shifter, which stuck straight up from the base of the console in older models, now juts perpendicularly from the bottom of the dash. I found this location awkward, and even though I’m used to the Prius’ shifter, its placement here still threw me off. (This white plastic looks very similar to the type that yellows with age. Here’s hoping Toyota’s not using that material.)

Situated below the dash is a tray that holds a wireless charging pad. It supports the Qi wireless charging standard, which is fairly common – the latest Samsung smartphones support it, for example – and if your device doesn’t work with it, you can usually find a case or adapter that will.

The heated, power front seats are covered with Toyota’s SofTex, faux-leather material – real leather isn’t available. They’re quite comfortable, with firm side and back support. The switches for the driver and passenger seat heaters are hidden behind the lower part of the dashboard, below the shifter. They’re a little hard to get to, which is annoying.

The rear seat is also comfortable, though there is a bit less passenger room back there than in the previous model. That’s likely due to the fact that the rear hatch has more room for cargo. It’s a decent tradeoff.

Driving

I’ll say this – the new Prius is noticeably peppier than my wife’s 2012 model. But in terms of power and performance, that’s about all you can say. I’ve really not had a complaint about her car – it gets me onto the freeway just fine, and I’ve had the pleasure of humiliating drivers of much more muscular cars by passing them. The 2016 Prius has healthier acceleration, even though it actually delivers less horsepower than its predecessor – 121 total horses with the combined electric and gasoline engines, compared to 134 HP. It gives you the power you need, but not much more.

Past Prius models have had a reputation for mushy handling, and that aptly describes my wife’s car. But this new model is nimbler, thanks to a redesigned rear suspension. Overall, the car feels stiffer – my wife thinks her Prius’ ride is more comfortable than this one – and you’ve got a better feel for the road. Turns are more controlled, though you don’t really feel much resistance in the wheel.

The 2016 Prius has low-rolling-resistance tires, which also make for a stiffer ride and more road noise on the freeway.

Safety

The Prius 4 comes with some impressive safety features that can give you a glimpse of a future with self-driving cars. Some of them can be downright disconcerting if you’re not expecting them.

For example, one of the features on the model I tested works with the cruise control to ensure you don’t ride up on the bumper of a car in front of you. Built-in sonar senses a car ahead and slows the cruise setting to match that car. On my trip to Galveston, the Prius suddenly started slowing and I thought the cruise control had disengaged completely. But when I was going the same speed as the car ahead, the cruise control locked in again.

Another one: I was backing up in a parking lot that was shaded by a large tree with vines hanging from it. I backed toward a vine and the car’s proximity warning system began beeping frantically. I knew this was a harmless plant so continued backing. When I got about an inch from the vine, the touchscreen – which had been showing the image from the backup camera – suddenly went red with big white letters spelling “BRAKE!”. And that’s what the car did, HARD, so I would not hit the vine behind me, which the car apparently mistook for a toddler.

The front and rear of the car both feature this pedestrian-avoidance system, and presumably an object too close to the car’s front bumper would also produce a similar braking. The Prius is ringed with such proximity sensors, and as with a lot of higher-end cars, they alert you when another vehicle or object is in your blind spot or too close for comfort. Some folks may object to a “nanny state” feature like this, but I, for one, welcome our new robotic vehicle-safety overlords.

Technology

As I mentioned earlier, much of the tech in the Prius has to do with its strongest selling point: gas mileage. Its various displays give you more information than you can imagine about the car’s present and past consumption of fuel. It even turns driving efficiently into a kind of video game.

While you drive, the car measures things like acceleration from a dead stop; acceleration while moving; braking; and – believe it or not – how efficiently you use the air conditioner. When you turn the Prius off at the end of a trip, you get a score based on how well you did, as well as kudos when warranted. The readout will also suggest ways you can improve.

If you’re driving at your best, you’ll get messages like “Excellent Eco Driving / Keep Current Driving Style.” Or, you may get scolded: “Ease Accelerator Use.” And then there’s my favorite: “Excellent A/C Setting / Keep Current AC Setting.” Now, that’s the kinds of praise I live for!

The 2016 Prius has an Eco setting for the air conditioning system. The air coming out of the vents isn’t quite as chilled as when the AC is in “normal” mode, and on a mild spring day in Houston, Eco is adequate. But I can tell you this: Come the flames of August, I’ll be a coolant renegade, blasting the Normal setting as I poke along on Bayou City roads.

Much of the in-dash tech is standard mid-range Toyota stuff – it’s the same navigation and app suite as in my 2014 Corolla, for the most part. You have access to a handful of apps, and that selection expands when you tether the car to a smartphone using Toyota’s Entune app. Yes, there’s I Heart Radio, Weather.com, Facebook Places and more, but I’d much rather use those on my iPhone, which is faster and more capable. The biggest improvement over earlier Toyota in-dash tech is that the touchscreen is much more responsive, and the software is much faster. It feels more like a tablet or smartphone than a sluggish car touchscreen.

One big disappointment: the 2016 Prius does not support either Apple’s CarPlay or Google’s Android Auto, systems that partly bring your smartphone’s display to the car’s screen. Siri Eyes-Free, which lets you summon the iPhone’s personal assistant without touching the device, is supported. But it seems like a sad consolation prize.

If you’re looking for a hybrid vehicle with decent technology and safety features, the 2016 Prius is the obvious choice. It’s affordable and – at least at the Prius 4 trim level – quite comfortable. It’s also a better driving experience than past Prius models, which will surprise you when you take it for a spin. Chances are, you’ll want to take it home.

The 2016 Prius 4 I drove listed at $33,125, with the Premium Convenience and Advanced Technology packages; the base Prius 4 starts at $28,650. The lowest-end model, the Prius 2, starts at $24,200.